With autumn in the offing, the question for leaf lookers heading to Eastern national parks is—what’s the foliage forecast for fall 2012? Howard S. Neufeld has some good news for you—but the reasons why aren’t simple.

Raise a toast to the Blue Ridge Parkway—and do it while enjoying a great meal at one of dozens of restaurants sponsoring “Plates for the Parkway” on September 18th, 2012. The first annual event will include restaurants that agree to donate a minimum of 10% of a meal or the day’s sales to benefit the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s efforts to protect the Parkway.

You’ll get startlingly close to galaxies, nebulae, planets and more at three great September star-gazing events at the loftiest viewing locations in Eastern America, thanks to Southern Appalachian National Parks.

Throughout the summer we've been celebrating the work of national park friends groups. While the summer is coming to an end, their good work continues throughout the year. And with that in mind, they could use your support to fund that work. Here's a look back at some of the park system's "essential friends" and how you can support them.

If you’re in mood to travel, September and October are wonderful months to spend in the national parks. The crowds have departed, the animals are busy, and the fall color beckons. Now is the time park friends also host an array of workshops tailor-made for life-long learners.

It’s hard to argue that Acadia, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smokies, and Shenandoah don’t represent the cream of what the National Park Service offers in Eastern America. There are a lot of great experiences in these top East Coast national parks, but for the truly discriminating explorer, the friends groups for these parks have truly awesome best-kept-secret suggestions.

Peter Greenberg, travel editor for CBS News, featured the Traveler's well-received Essential Friends magazine on his Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio show in late June. Listen to Peter's six-minute interview with the Traveler's Travel Editor Randy Johnson.